In order to have vertical takeoff and landing capability of a helicopter and to have forward flight speed ability of another aircraft, different styles of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft are being introduced and becoming more abundant. One aircraft is the canard rotor/wing design. The canard rotor/wing (CRW) design typically includes a single wing centrally located or two offset wings located on an aircraft fuselage that may be operated in a helicopter mode and in a fixed wing mode. Each wing includes two symmetrical blades that operate irrespective of flow direction. In helicopter mode the wing of the CRW spins the rotor. In fixed wing mode the wing of the CRW is locked for fixed flight mode.
In helicopter mode, the CRW uses ducted engine exhaust gas that flows through a passage way and into nozzles located on both blades of the wing to spin the rotor head. The engine exhaust gas passes through the main conduit, passes up the main rotor mast, proportionally through the gas splitter duct and out through the each rotor hub and blade to spin the rotor head. Two or more engines may be utilized on the CRW when the aircraft increases in size or when there is a desire to have additional engines. While the ducted passageways may provide for the increase in engine exhaust gas produced by the multiple engines, there becomes a loss of efficiency through the nozzles and a potential loss of engine control when the CRW experiences a loss of engine or engine out. The loss of efficiency and engine control situation may also occur when less than all of the engines are operating while the CRW is in helicopter mode. Generally, this is known as the “1-engine out” situation.
It is therefore, desirable to provide a VTOL aircraft having increased performance and engine control should the aircraft experiences the “1-engine out” situation.